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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22790590">Far From The Tree</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shade_Penn1/pseuds/Shade_Penn1'>Shade_Penn1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Apex Legends (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Background Relationships, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Gen, Headcanon, Introspection, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Naruto References, Possessive Behavior, Revenant is bad with being social, background Mirage/Pathfinder, read the author notes!, unrequited Wraith/Wattson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:21:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,265</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22790590</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shade_Penn1/pseuds/Shade_Penn1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wraith looks into her family history, and opens a can of worms</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One of her DVDs were missing. Perhaps it was old school to still have physical copies, but it was just as old school for companies to be <em>making</em> them. And more importantly, it was <em>hers</em>. She kept all of her Naruto collection in clear view, because every possession she had was precious, no matter how odd it may seem.</p>
<p>Being alone in the alien landscape of King's Canyon before the Apex games was a thing-avoiding security and maintenance and vicious wildlife not yet tamed-did stuff to a person.</p>
<p>Wraith touched the kunai strapped to her thigh, because this never left her person. She flipped it in her hand, and skulked around the room. She crouched low to quiet her steps and her gaze flitted over every crevice or crack where the DVD-and the <em>thief</em>-were.</p>
<p>The vent wafted cool air through the room, and she stilled when the voices went off. <em>You're being watched</em>. Her gaze lifted to the vent slowly, the hilt of the kunai tight in her grip. She moved to the throw it, but the brisk knock at the door curtailed it as she whipped around. She stopped herself just short of stabbing the front door-and the unfortunate and likely underpaid temp worker from the mail room.</p>
<p>"Ms. Wraith?" the delivery woman dug out a letter from the stack under her arm. </p>
<p>"Thank you." Wraith said curtly, but politely, even as she kept one eye on the grate. She closed the door, and slid the tip of the kunai across the envelope. It wasn't a thick set of papers, but it's contents made her insides seize.</p>
<p>It was the results of her genealogy report. </p>
<p>On a whim, and perhaps a bit tipsy after a Championship match, Wraith was convinced to try and find out about her family history. She had her DNA, and a name finally to put it too. Elliott gave her the number for a good agency to try. He never said why he had the company's contact information, but Wraith decided not to ask.</p>
<p>And after finding out on their website the agency also worked in finding missing or lost family members-Wraith was glad she didn't push it.</p>
<p>Wraith glanced up at the grate fully, and after a solid minute of silence from the voices, she allowed herself to relax. Reluctantly, because someone <em>stole</em> from her. She set her jaw, and adjusted her scarf as she sat down to read over the papers.</p>
<p>There were four. One from her mother's side, and the rest from her father's. Wraith's throat squeezed tight at the sight of her name. <em>Renee Blasey</em>. It was like she was looking at another woman's life, through a window and not a mirror because she didn't <em>know</em> this woman. Or the names that were marked as 'parent's'-<em>Malcolm Blasey. Nadine Kuchinashi</em>. And yet when she read the marker by their names as 'deceased', she wondered whether or not she should feel sad, or regretful. </p>
<p>Would they be happy to find out their daughter was alive, or like they were seeing a stranger with her face? Maybe it was better Wraith didn't need to find out. Wraith wasn't even sure now why she did this to herself in the first place.</p>
<p>Sighing deeply, Wraith checked the rest of her-Renee's mother's side. Unsurprisingly, the names were all marked 'deceased' with how far back in time it went. The agency tried to give a cohesive family tree, and so went far as they could with records. That took time, so it wasn't a shock it took nearly three months just to get this much.</p>
<p>Her father's side though caught her attention. While her-Renee's-mother didn't have siblings, her-<em>Renee's</em>-father did. One sister. Who was still alive. The thought was almost too much to comprehend, so Wraith chose to ignore it. At least until she wrapped her head around the idea. The idea of-maybe?-meeting this woman. And the underlining fear and uncertainty which came with it.</p>
<p>She'd have to inquire about this woman later. <em>Later</em>. Keep reading.</p>
<p>Wraith scanned the rest of the names. No grandparents-not unexpected. It was also not unreasonable to see the lapse when 'Blasey' had only just entered her father's line, and the surname before that was 'Clear' with a smattering of different surnames indicating name changes for one reason or another and branching off into their own lines-or just ended abruptly.</p>
<p>The company researchers were even kind enough to add notes for these. One interesting detail was the difficulty in searching beyond her many times great-grandmother, before digging further and finding it was yet another point where the name changes happened. The daughter's surname was the father's after he'd <em>changed</em> it to 'Clear' and the family tree extended back with looking under the father's original name of 'Stratford'.</p>
<p>Needless to say, Wraith needed a minute -or more-to let the information settle. This was her-<em>Renee's</em>-family history. Laid out in detail by people who spent so much time to give her this insight into a whole lineage of people she didn't know and would never know.</p>
<p>Except maybe one. Wraith's eyes glanced back to the name next to her-Renee's-father. Her-Renee's-aunt. Wraith inhaled deeply, and closed her eyes in contemplation. She needed air, time to clear her head. She'd never expected to find <em>anyone</em> still alive on this list, and to know there was a relative who might <em>know</em> her-or who she used to be-and that terrified her. What if this woman saw the games, did she already know who Wraith was?</p>
<p>The room began to feel constricting, the air thin and dry. Her scarf felt tight but tugging it away didn't help. Wraith staggered to her feet, and holstered her kunai on the way out the door. She left the concerns about the thief and the unknown aunt behind her. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Wraith wiped the towel away from her forehead, hot and sweaty after getting back from the training ground-and froze as the door hissed shut behind her. Her DVD was back, only for another to have disappeared. The next Naruto season. Her jaw clenched, but her march to the vent was halted when her gaze landed on the papers left on the counter. She'd tried to ignore them all throughout yesterday, but it never lasted when her gaze inevitably fell on them.</p>
<p>Which is why she noticed how one page was on the floor. The vent was too far for it to get blown away. Taking her DVDs was one thing, but going through her <em>personal</em> business? Everyone was in the training room still, getting ready for the next match tomorrow. She wouldn't make a scene, but someone crossed a line.</p>
<p>Wraith's hands balled into fists as she approached the training arena. If Octavio was messing with her, or Elliott thought it'd be a funny prank- <em>Danger!</em> Wraith reached for her, eyes wild as she stared around the hall.</p>
<p>Only for the noise to come from the training room ahead of her. Slowly, the excess sounds of the others working out faded, leaving an eerie stillness interrupted by the vicious strikes of metal against a hard surface. It seemed Revenant was in a bad mood. No wonder the voices wanted her to get out of dodge.</p>
<p>Wraith still headed for the door, and her first sight was the tall simulacrum trying to murder a punching bag. The second was everyone else staring at him. And the third was Pathfinder going over to him.</p>
<p>"Friend? Is something wr-" The voices screamed at her <em>move, move</em> as in one swift motion, Revenant's whole body spun and his fist now found a new target. Pathfinder went clear across the room, his body slamming into the wall and crashed to the floor with a loud <em>clank</em>.</p>
<p>"Hey, what's the matter with you!?" Elliott snapped. He flinched when Revenant turned his searing glare onto him, long metal fingers twitching in menace.</p>
<p>"Maybe you should take five, soldier." Anita said, her expression hard.</p>
<p>"Far away from us." Octavio added, and Ajay elbowed him in the side, likely in an attempt to keep from drawing Revanant's ire next.</p>
<p>His yellow optics swept over all of them though, and for the briefest moment, when they settled on Wraith the color intensified. She tensed when his fists clenched, but Revenant only let out a snarl. "So much for your <em>hospitality</em>."</p>
<p><em>That's rich coming from you, asshole,</em> Wraith thought, her gaze following Revenant as he stalked towards the door. Before the door closed, his gaze caught hers one last time.</p>
<p>"And they let that into these games." Crypto muttered, his voice too low for it to be discernable what type of emotion laced his words. Was he trying to be funny, disdainful?</p>
<p>Wraith glanced beyond him, to where Makoa was helping Pathfinder up. The robot's optic blinked a few times, and he tapped his screen. It didn't change from the 'XP' one. "I believe one of my arm stablizers has been disconnected." He was likely trying to move his right arm, but all it did was shake and something rolled around inside.</p>
<p>Natalie gasped. "Don't try moving it. We'll have you fixed up before the match tomorrow, won't we, Dr. Caustic?" </p>
<p>"Ms. Paquette, I am not-" The blonde's eyes widened, and the large man sighed. "Very well. Mr. Witt, you may be of some use as well to assess the damage."</p>
<p>Elliott rolled his eyes and grumbled, but he stuck close to Pathfinder as the small group left the room. Wraith decided to depart as well, her fury all but forgotten. </p>
<p>She did not, in anyway, want them to think she was like Revenant.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Had it just been a scuffle in sparring where Pathfinder got injured, perhaps it wouldn't have been so tense in the dropship when the match rolled around. As it were, everyone either steered clear of Revenant, or gave him hard stares he probably didn't care about. </p>
<p><em>He's watching you</em>. Wraith's gaze snapped up, going from her book to the yellow gaze locked on her. Revenant stood in the shadows of the corner, only his optics clearly visible. He looked like he was in shadow form. </p>
<p>Their staring contest was interrupted by the buzzer overhead, and Wraith broke the stare first-much as she thought it was a bad idea. Something tightened in her stomach when she saw her teammates. Ajay wasn't the issue, she was good to have around for quicker revives. The problem was their third. Revenant.</p>
<p>Someone had to get him, and it seemed they drew the shortest straw. </p>
<p>Wraith made her way to the platform, Ajay giving her a smile as she joined her. Revenant only grunted when he came to Wraith's other side. The voices were quiet, but it was like a strained silence, just waiting to warn her. Only with Revenant did the voices go off <em>all</em> the time when he was around.</p>
<p>The fact they were silent did not bode well.</p>
<p>"I'm the jumpmaster." Ajay-Lifeline-said. Wraith nodded, the floor below them lowered beneath the ship, where the glow of the planet harvester cast it's light on the whole arena. "We'll go to Overlook, far enough not a lot of people will be there."</p>
<p>"Where's the fun in that?" Revenant asked. </p>
<p>Wraith shot him a look, before she nodded once more at Lifeline. "I'm in-" her words caught in her throat as a hard grip tugged her scarf and she went tumbling through the air. Lifeline's voice echoed in the comms. She alternated between asking if Wraith was okay and yelling at Revenant.</p>
<p>Revenant. Of course. Wraith opened her eyes-when had she shut them?-to glare over at the simulacrum who'd shoved her out of the dropship with him, and now were falling right into the hot zone. Lava City. There was no way to reach Overlook from this distance and at this speed. </p>
<p>Was this asshole purposefully sabotaging them? Wraith was going to shove Revenant into the lava the first chance she got.</p>
<p><em>Danger, move!</em> Wraith ducked into one of the buildings, just in time for the bullets to find the door instead of her back. Her gaze scanned the room, and she found a body shield and a carbine before using the zipline to take her to the roof. Looting the supply bin, she at least had a helmet and a few syringes.</p>
<p>"I'm getting shot at!" Lifeline's voice yelled into her ear. Wraith eyed their locations. The medic had dropped late, and instead of ending up in the city, she was at the small settlement at the outskirts.</p>
<p>If she made it to the jump tower, Wraith could catch up with her. "Hang on, I'm coming." she said, and sprinted across the bridge connecting the buildings.</p>
<p>A hand shot out from the stairwell, and Wraith whipped out her kunai, the edge held against Revenant's throat. "Leave her," he said, unconcerned with the knife on him, "she'll only slow us down."</p>
<p>Wraith wrenched her arm free, shoulders hunched. "She's our teammate. It's your fault she's getting shot at with that stunt you pulled."</p>
<p>"She should have dropped with us then."</p>
<p><em>Unbelievable</em>. Wraith turned for the edge of the roof, and leaped down into a crouch on landing. She didn't pause before breaking into a run. "Lifeline, how many?"</p>
<p>"Two, their third must have landed somewhere else." Gunfire rang out, and Wraith watched the blue shield Lifeline found chipped away again.</p>
<p>"Right." Wraith wrapped her hand around the jump tower zipline, and kept her eyes on the house where smoke from a grenade wafted out. <em>Hold on, hold on</em>. She soared through the air, and on landing she listened for the noises in the house. <em>The back</em>. Wraith jumped off the house, and scurried around before the glow from underneath.</p>
<p>Lifeline aimed at her, but let out a ragged breath as she replenished her shields. "Got here just in time. Down to my last shield cell." She glanced around, but didn't seem surprised that Wraith was alone. </p>
<p>"We can rotate into Geyser." Wraith offered.</p>
<p>Lifeline shook her head. "They'll follow, and that's probably where their third is." her expression hardened. "We gonna have to fight and pick off the last one if they come runnin'."</p>
<p>Wraith looked up, where the footsteps walked overhead. She closed her eyes, and nodded. "What do you have on you?" Lifeline's inventory was an R-99 with very low ammo, a few grenades and an arc star. Wraith picked up the star. "I got an idea. I'll bait them into following me, and you lob everything at them."</p>
<p>"That's not a plan," Lifeline said with a deadpan expression, "but it's the only thing we got right now. Alright."</p>
<p>Wraith nodded. While Lifeline sneaked up to the roof and waited by the stairs, she came back around the house. Wraith sneaked inside, ears strained to determine the location. She stopped, voices sounding, <em>They might be watching you.</em> Wraith smirked. She ran towards the stairs, footsteps sprinting after her. <em>You're in their sights</em>. "Now!" </p>
<p>The arc star landed at her foot just as she phased. The rest of the ordnance past through her-and right onto the enemies. Wraith came out of the void to hear the sweet sound of people being knocked. She jumped over the ledge of the roof, and stared up at the window as Lifeline was likely finishing them off.</p>
<p><em>They're aiming right at you!</em> Wraith's eyes widened, and she whirled around to face the muzzle of what must be the third's peacekeeper. Her hand inched for the kunai-and the third went stiff. Their eyes rolled back, before collapsing in a heap.</p>
<p>Revenant lifted himself from the crouch, and shook the blood from his hand. "You got sloppy, letting yourself be out in the open."</p>
<p>Wraith's mouth pressed into a hard line. She knelt by the death box. "Surprised you're here-thought you worked better alone?"</p>
<p>Revenant's grunted noncommittally. "I want their weapons."</p>
<p>Wraith grabbed a few of the shields, and left the rest for him. There were still two more boxes inside.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Revenant was always in a bad mood, even more than Caustic-which was saying something as the man had softened to the idea of the other Legends over time. It helped Natalie was warm and welcoming and sweet and <em>wonderful</em> and genuinely interested in his work. Revenant had no such thing occurring, or appearing to occur. He was rude and standoffish and an <em>asshole</em> from the start.</p>
<p>Which was why it made Wraith tense when she was doing her warm-ups and he stalked into the training room. He'd been doing it for two days now. Just <em>staring</em>. No chit-chat, or even any attempts to speak to her at all. Revenant just watched her, like a cat contemplating whether to kill a mouse. He'd leave after about five minutes, probably satisfied he'd unsettled her enough and go.</p>
<p>Wraith only brought it up once, when Anita and Elliott were complaining about him. "Maybe he's hitting on you." Had been Elliott's oh-so-articulate answer, and she'd scrunched her nose at the thought.</p>
<p>"Unlike you, robots aren't my thing." She'd retorted, and Elliott went bright red as he'd very specifically denied being attracted to Pathfinder. </p>
<p>Anita's response was more serious. "You want some company, just in case he does it again?"</p>
<p>Though tempted, Wraith could handle her own problems and declined. Perhaps it was the faint hope that this was just a one-off thing. Of course she knew better than to hope for anything. Wraith went towards one of the punching bags Revenant had yet to eviscerate, but she wasn't holding her breath it'd last for long. </p>
<p>The steady beat of her fists against the leather calmed her nerves, allowing her to vent without leaving the excess directed at the others. Her armband remained though, along with her kunai. They let her be anchored, in a way, and a promise to herself-quite literally. </p>
<p>Her next punched stalled, slim fingers grasping her arm. Wraith grabbed her kunai and twisted to shove the blade against his neck, but Revenant's other hand stopped that too. His yellow optics never moved from her armband, the technology that made her phasing possible.</p>
<p>Wraith pulled one arm free, but Revenant refused to let go of the other. Finally, his gaze locked with hers-and it hit her why she was unsettled so much by him lately.  The voices stopped warning her when he was near. They never used to stop talking, noting every little thing-but now they didn't even let her know he was watching.</p>
<p>They didn't see Revenant as a threat anymore. Something must have happened to cause this, to make each alternate version of herself not find that his atrocious behavior deplorable. Well <em>this</em> Wraith wasn't going to be fooled. He'd wanted to leave Lifeline to die.</p>
<p>"Are you finally going to act, than just stare?" Wraith asked, her voice toneless.</p>
<p>Revenant's optics glanced back to her armband. "I know all about you, Renee Blasey." he growled, and Wraith stiffened at that name. "Or rather, who you used to be, I should say. Her," he let out a dark chuckle, "I could see it in her. Any skinbag can share hair or eyes or a <em>face</em>," his voice stilted, the yellow intensifying for a moment, "but the real good stuff is what you can't see; the thrill of the screams, savoring every moment of every kill, not letting anything stand in the way-yes, I think I would have liked that Renee." </p>
<p>Then his optics locked with Wraith's once more, and his tone became as flat as his unmoving expression. "A shame she turned into <em>you.</em>"</p>
<p>Wraith jerked her other arm free, and stormed out of the room without a single look back. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Usually, ramen noddles and microwavable dinners from a box or a can were good enough for her, but Makoa's cooking always managed to drag her out of her room. Everyone always congregated when the man decided to bring out the home cooking. Wraith didn't know what some of it was, but it was always delicious so she had no problem. She took the seat near the end of the table, and grabbed the plate offered to her. </p>
<p>"Wraith, wattage up?" Natalie giggled at her own pun, and it was like bell-chimes and made Wraith's insides do odd twists.</p>
<p>Pathfinder didn't eat with them-for obvious reasons-but he enjoyed the smell of food, and seemed very proud of the fact Makoa let him help make it. He seemed to stiffen though, screen flickering and Elliott scowled in Wraith's direction. No, <em>beyond</em> her.</p>
<p>By now, she wasn't surprised by her -perhaps literal-shadow following her in here. Wraith thought it was over when Revenant stopped showing up in the gym to stare at her, but now he seemed to be just <em>there</em> all the time. In the shadows of the living room, or behind the corner when she'd get something from the kitchen. If he was trying to unsettle her, it wasn't going to work.</p>
<p>She forgot no one else liked having him around though. Wraith picked up her plate and stepped away from the table. "Thank you for the meal, Makoa." She allowed herself a small smile, before departing into the hall, and the footsteps which echoed behind her. </p>
<p>In the beginning, Wraith found it hard to connect with these people, but now she appreciated each of them in their own way-one more than others. And Revenant wasn't going to ruin all the progress she'd made. Wraith found a spot to eat outside, the air cooler at night than during the day. It was still almost freezing near Epicentre, but the rest was scorching with the drastic weather change due to the fissures. </p>
<p>Even at night, there was a red cast dyed in the dark sky.</p>
<p>"You're gonna freeze out here, with just a scarf. But hey, it's your funeral."</p>
<p>Wraith took a bite of her meal, and thought of how to concisely sum up all the crap he'd been pulling. "Were you always this much of a dick or does it take work to be as awful as you are?"</p>
<p>"Being human is overrated." That wasn't what she asked, and he knew. "I used to wear a skinsuit, before <em>this</em> I'd had a real life." Revenant glanced down at his hand, turning it over to stare at the metal plate with a carved 'H' on it. His optics flared, and his fist clenched. </p>
<p>Wraith knew that simulacrum had their human minds uploaded into a robotic body, but it was hard to believe Revenant had ever been human. She was about to speak, but his next words stopped her cold. "Even had a family."</p>
<p>He let out a derisive chuckle. "Wasn't much of a relationship, and the whole domestic set-up wasn't my thing either. My little girl kept me coming back though, even after I'd lost interest in her mother. I can remember she had my blue eyes, along with my name I'm sure that woman did just to spite me. Never was around often, but her whole face would light up when I was. Funny, since it's not how the skinbags usually react to seeing me."</p>
<p>Wraith couldn't place his tone, or even if he was just talking aloud, like he forgot she was here. "Did you love your daughter?"</p>
<p>His head snapped in her direction, optics flared so intensely Wraith's fingers inched for her kunai. Revenant let out a grunt, and stood abruptly. "What kind of question is that?" he growled. "She's gone. It doesn't matter anymore."</p>
<p>Wraith only relaxed until she was sure Revenant was absolutely gone. She took in a long breath, and wondered what the hell that was all about. The simulacrum was never so-so <em>open</em>. He growled and glared and insulted everyone inside the arena and out. He did not go on tangents about something so personal out of the blue.</p>
<p>And then it all came together. The way he looked at her like he was searching for something, how he followed her around like a shadow, why he thought her old self was better- and why the voices stopped treating him like a threat, the thing every other version of herself came to find out: Revenant was her father.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Revenant was her father-even now, the notion was so ridiculous that Wraith kept repeating it to herself with increasing incredulty every day she tried to deny it. What was her proof, really? An anecdote and his strange behavior she wanted to fit with her theory? It was just that-a <em>theory</em>. Even more, the thought idea of asking him seemed laughable. He'd likely laugh <em>at</em> her too. Or stab her and the voices might start getting wary of him again.</p>
<p>Get everything back to normal, where Revenant was just a jackass who hated everyone. Including her.</p>
<p>Wraith flipped the kunai in her hand, pacing around her room with an energy built up inside her. Nerves or anticipation or weariness-it all jumbled into such a mess she nearly through her kunai at the door when the knocks came. She counted to ten in her head, holstering her knife before opening the door. Her brows furrowed at the sight of Anita, Ajay and Natalie standing outside her door. "Yes?"</p>
<p>"You've been weird, weirder than you already are." Anita said gruffly.</p>
<p>Ajay shot her a look, before speaking too, "We're having a girl's night. Want to come?"</p>
<p>"I don't know..." Wraith started, but Natalie clasped her hands, metal fingers interlocking with her flesh ones. </p>
<p>"Please, mon ami?"</p>
<p>Wraith averted her gaze, hoping they didn't see her flushing cheeks. "Alright." Maybe a few hours would help rid her worries for a short time.</p>
<p>Natalie beamed and grabbed Wraith's hand to tug her out of her room, and the woman's heart raced a bit more. It was just one more thing Wraith didn't want to think about, because of the false hope she wouldn't subject herself too. </p>
<p><em>It'll pass</em>, Wraith thought, but it still didn't stop her from noticing the shine in Natalie's hair or how cute it looked after her recent hair cut. <em>It'll pass</em>, she repeated, even if she hoped it never would.</p>
<p>The trip through the hall ended at Ajay's room, where Doc beeped at the sight of them, before powering back down on her charging station. Popcorn and candy and soda littered the coffee table.</p>
<p>"No beer?" Anita asked.</p>
<p>Ajay let out a sharp noise. "Not in my room." she shoved a can of soda into Anita's hands, who stared at it before rolling her neck and dropping onto the couch.</p>
<p>Wraith took a spot on the floor by the sofa, and grabbed a handful of popcorn. She tried hard not to notice Natalie sitting next to her. "What are we watching?"</p>
<p>"Dealer's choice." Ajay picked up four jelly beans from the candy bowl, closing her fist around them. "Pick your color."</p>
<p>"Red." Anita said.</p>
<p>"Blue." Natalie added.</p>
<p>Wraith noticed there hadn't been purple in those four colors. "Pink."</p>
<p>"Green." Ajay closed her eyes, and slipped one of the beans from her fist. "Red."</p>
<p>Anita whooped, and snatched the remote up from the coffee table. "Action it is."</p>
<p>Wraith leaned against the couch, nibbling on the popcorn as Anita checked through the collection of movies on Ajay's video screen. She almost closed her eyes, but blinked them open when Natalie tapped her shoulder. Something like sheepishness flushed the blonde's cheeks.</p>
<p>"Your hair is so pretty. May I braid it?"</p>
<p>Now it was Wraith's turn to blush, and she looked away. "It's no trouble." she said flatly, and raised one hand to tug her hair free from it's bun. She shifted to let Natalie sit behind her, and her fingers slid along her scalp briskly. The few stubborn strands which always hung in Wraith's face refused even now to be tamed, so Natalie left those locks alone.</p>
<p>Ajay leaned over the edge of the couch, catching the corner of Wraith's eye, and the dark-haired woman breathed out softly. "You gonna tell us what's been buggin' you?" Ajay's gaze was not unkind, but she had the no nonsense expression expected of a medic.</p>
<p>Wraith thought of an excuse, but within this brief moment of safety, she allowed herself to let slip a bit of the truth. "I found out Re-I- have...family." The word was odd, saying it aloud finally. She was not going to say anything about Revenant or her suspicions. "An aunt. I don't know whether to talk to her or not."</p>
<p>"What's the problem?" Natalie asked, confusion in her tone.</p>
<p>Wraith was silent a moment. "I guess I don't know what I'd even say, or what she'd think of me. I'm...probably-" And very likely- "not what she might expect."</p>
<p>"Can't find out if you don't try." Anita said, as though it were that simple.</p>
<p>Wraith wished it was. "I don't have a clue of who I was or-"</p>
<p>Ajay held up a hand. "That don't define you <em>now</em>. Ya come far, made something for yourself. If no one can't accept that this is <em>you</em>," she gestured to Wraith, "they ain't worth the time." Her lips twisted, something hard and far-off in her gaze. "No matter who they are."</p>
<p>Everyone here had some type of baggage, whether it showed or not. Wraith was not an exception in this regard, and it gnawed at her for how <em>self-pitying</em> she sounded. The choice should have been obvious, but what she lacked had been the resolve of action. Just a letter, a call-<em>anything</em>, to tell her-Ren-the aunt she was alive, and let things fall where they may. </p>
<p>Wraith went this long without knowing anything about herself, pretending everything didn't happen wouldn't be any different. That was the easy solution for someone so far away-presumably-but the second was closer. </p>
<p>That would be harder to deal with.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Being on a team with Revenant was almost as bad as being his enemy, and it was only due to lack of friendly fire that he couldn't kill his teammates either. Wraith wondered if there was a third category she had the dubious honor of being in-<em>he never fucking left her alone</em>. There were still insults about her 'Naruto running', sneers whenever she or their third thanked him, but Wraith was acutely aware of how <em>differently</em> he was with her. Even more than before.</p>
<p>Revenant nor Wraith ever brought it up, more so in the latter's case that she didn't want to acknowledge it. When she asked for a hop-up or needed a specific weapon, he always found it for her. If she was knocked, he was there reviving her. Once, their third got to her first, but Revenant shoved them away to take their place, or treat their third like shit-even more than he already did- if they did bring her back before he got there. It happened enough that Wraith knew everyone else likey noticed but she didn't even know how to explain this when she had no idea whether her theory was just that.</p>
<p>Her thoughts plagued her, more now with the set-up of Wattson's fortress in Fragment East. With their current position being square in the middle of the final rings, the blonde suggested fortifying a building. Revenant hadn't liked the idea, but Wraith agreed with Wattson. The pylon was planted in the center of the room, perfect for blocking all ordnances. </p>
<p>Wraith glanced up when Wattson came down the steps from the third floor. She was smiling, humming as she looked out the window in the stairwell. "You did a good job," Wraith winced at how it came out, but when Wattson looked at her, the dark-haired woman continued, "with the house." Wraith was sure her smile seemed awkward. "No one's getting in here."</p>
<p>Wattson's returning smile was beautiful. "I do work on them until it hertz." she giggled. Wraith glanced down, cheeks flushing. </p>
<p>"We're camping." Revenant growled as he came up from the first floor. He'd been stalking around like a cagey animal. "Stuck in here until the rats throw themselves at the fence."</p>
<p>Wraith noticed Wattson's shoulders slump, and her own rose as she stood up straighter. "The door's right there. Go jump into the lava if you're bored." He glared back at her. <em>It's a sniper.</em> "Get down!" Wraith grabbed the blonde, and pulled Wattson with her as the bullet hit the floor where they'd just been standing.</p>
<p>The direction was from the higher landing in the building across. Three teams-them, the sniper across and one in hiding. Wraith kept track of them all, but Revenant glanced out the window in the stairwell and chuckled darkly.</p>
<p>"I see a solo. I'm going to go have some fun." Before Wraith could reprimand him, the simulacrum's hands flashed through a familiar set of hand seals before his death totem appeared. </p>
<p>It stalled any forthcoming comment Wraith might have had, because there was a deeper realization that made her insides burn.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>It was both ruefully satisfying and anticlimactic from winning the match due to the ring, but the trip back to the compound was another thing entirely. Wraith didn't move an inch from the sofa she was on, because Wattson was dozing next to her, head covering gone and resting against Wraith's shoulder, blonde strands tickling her neck. It must have been obvious she was blushing, because Elliott caught her eye and made kissy faces. </p>
<p>Wraith rolled her eyes-and noticed Caustic was glaring across the room. Wraith followed his gaze, to where Revenant was standing in the shadows-staring daggers right at Natalie. Wraith stared harder back at him. <em>Not her, you asshole</em>.</p>
<p>Wraith put up with a lot, because this behavior never went beyond her. His insults, his possessiveness, his hatred and his damn pride that made him think he could steal her things and not ask to borrow them, but she wouldn't let him see Natalie as a threat. Wraith stewed in the tempering anger, until the dropship came back to the compound and Revenant immediately left. For once, Wraith followed after him down the hall away from the others.</p>
<p>Her steps were quick and loud in the silent hall, and so rather than go to what must be his living quarters, Revenant make a detour into the training room. He looked her square in the eye, and she decided to be blunt. "You've been stealing my DVDs."</p>
<p>He scoffed, a strange sound since he had no mouth. "What need do I have for-"</p>
<p>"You took them because you're a weeb." Wraith interrupted flatly. "Everyone's said something about my running, but you're the only one who made the Naruto reference, and I saw you do the handsigns in today's match." He just stared at her, optics an intense and bright yellow, fists clenched hard. "I also know you saw my genealogy report."</p>
<p>Now he went ram-rod straight. He had no expression to read, but when he spoke, his voice was tight and angry. "You don't know shit."</p>
<p>"Why do you act so different around me? Why did you tell me about your daughter? I noticed my report had been moved and DVD gone right before your outburst in here. What made you so angry?" Wraith laid out all the evidence she could think of, before forcing herself to say the words that can't be taken back, "Is it because you're my father?"</p>
<p>He laughed. And even though she knew it a possibility, Wraith flinched. It was not a nice sound, harsh and guttural and humorless. The fact Revenant had no mouth to move only made the sound more unsettling as his gaze fixed on her. "Is that what you think? You think I <em>care</em> about you?" he snorted. "I'm not your father, I'm no one's father anymore." His hands balled into fists once more.</p>
<p>He was angry. It did not take much to make Revenant angry, but this was a different type of rage. He'd shown it the last time he'd been in the training room. The wall where Pathfinder got knocked into still had scuff marks from his paint. </p>
<p>"I guess it is a relief," Wraith said tersely, "because I wouldn't have wanted to see my father become a monster either."</p>
<p>His hand shot out, fingers around her throat as he leaned in and glared down at her. Wraith didn't flinch this time. No voices spoke up even now, even when she'd so clearly touched a nerve, his hold was loose at best. She stared back into his baleful gaze. "You're just determined to piss me off, aren't you, skinbag?"</p>
<p>Wraith jerked her chin up. "Isn't that what family does?"</p>
<p>Revenant made a sneering noise. "What do you know about having a family?"</p>
<p>Her mouth set into a hard line. Wraith didn't remember what Renee's parents were like, or how well their relationship was-but she had the other Legends. And if she wasn't comfortable calling them family yet, she might be able to someday. "What do you?" she shot back. Her aim struck true, as Revenant released a snarl he abruptly cut off.</p>
<p>What followed was a tense silence, nose to metaphorical nose as neither Wraith nor Revenant were willing to break first. Blue met yellow in a level glare, but in unison they both glanced at the door when the footsteps and chatter outside grew loud and close. </p>
<p>Their gazes met once again as they stepped away from each other. Even with the anger and tension, they both knew this wasn't anyone's business but their own.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>They all got to choose their duos partner. It was strange, but exhilarating in a way. Wraith thought of Natalie-would the blonde accept being her partner-battle partner? Duo pairs lasted the whole event this time, and her heart sped up a little at the thought of it just being them against eveyone else. Together.</p>
<p>"Are you going to start drooling?" Wraith's head snapped to the side, where Elliott was grinning at her in a too-knowing way. She glanced down at her plate to avoid looking at him. "I'm sure Nat thinks that's <em>real</em> attractive."</p>
<p>"Shut up, Elliott." Wraith muttered. </p>
<p>"Come on, it's not like I don't know you totally want Natalie to be your <em>partner</em>." Elliott said. His soup bowl looked big enough, and Wraith wondered if she could shove his face in. Mess up his hair he's always yammering about.</p>
<p>"And have you asked Pathfinder yet?" Wraith shot a look at him, and stifled her smirk when his cheeks flushed bright red. </p>
<p>"That's not what we were talking about." Elliott glowered at her, but stiffened when his gaze flickered over her shoulder.</p>
<p>Wraith knew who it was before even looking to find Revenant standing beside her table. "Yes?"</p>
<p>Revenant's optics glared over her head at Elliott. "Scram, skinsuit." he growled, as if it weren't already obvious what he was going to ask her.</p>
<p>Ellliott let out an exaggerated huff, lifting his tray with him. "I was going anyway, way better over <em>there</em>." he jerked his chin to where some of the others were sitting, including Pathfinder who waved excitedly when he spotted Elliott.</p>
<p>When the man left, Revenant immediately filled the space, but he did not say anything. Wraith didn't either. She wasn't making it easy for him, since she had her answer the moment these duos were announced. </p>
<p>Finally, Revenant all but snarled it out, "You're going to be my duos partner." It was not a question, because of course why would it be?</p>
<p>Wraith took a long sip of her coffee. The others thought it strange she always drank it during all her meals, but right now it was the only thing giving her the energy to deal with this bullshit. "Funny, since I was under the impression we got to choose our partners this time."</p>
<p>If he could, Revenant might have scowled at her. "If this were a solo event I wouldn't have to deal with <em>picking</em> any of you skinsuits execept by deciding who gets it."</p>
<p>"Is this your way of sparing me?" Wraith asked flatly. </p>
<p>He glared back at her, and very deliberately he curled his fingers over Wraith's fork. "Is that what you think? You've been <em>lucky</em> we've been on the same team so far, but don't think I wouldn't squish you like a grape the first time we're on different squads." The metal creaked in his hand, and dropped the crushed utensil onto the table.</p>
<p>Wraith stared at it, and understood where she'd stand in his list. She would be the first, just to get it over with. He might even track her down just to make sure no one else did her in before he could. Her pale eyes lifted, meeting his gaze. "Why do you assume <em>I</em> wouldn't be the one walking away from that fight?"</p>
<p>If she weren't looking at him, Wraith might not have seen the tick in Revenant's shoulders, or the brief dimming in his optics. And then Wraith blinked, and the moment passed. </p>
<p>"You're going to have to try real hard to get one over on me." Revenant said.</p>
<p>Wraith snorted. "Finally, an actual reason to be your duos partner." Watch and learn, as they say, right?</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Fairly certain she'd seen everything, Wraith decided to actually bring herself to use try contacting her...Renee's aunt. Everyone had a phone in their quarters, but Wraith never used hers for much-who did she have to call? It was why she never invested in a cell phone. Now though...</p>
<p>The landline seemed to mock her, sitting in its station on the counter, a thin layer of dust over it. She blew away the excess, and dialed the number she found on her-Renne's-aunt's social profile. Perhaps Wraith saw a few features in common with the picture posted, but the woman had red hair streaked with gray, and much deeper blue eyes. </p>
<p>Wraith stared ahead, counting back as the ringing continued in her ear from the call connecting before-</p>
<p>"Look, I don't want to be rude, but I swear if you crank call me one more time, I'm getting the authorities involved."</p>
<p>Well, that was unexpected. "W-what?"</p>
<p>Immediately, the angry tone mollified. "Oh, I'm sorry to jump the gun. It's just this number has kept calling me and no one ever speaks. I'd think it was a damn telemarketer but they always talk before I get a word in."</p>
<p>"I see." Wraith said slowly, though the gears turned in her head. Her heart was beating faster, and she wasn't sure whether to hang up immediately or not. "I'm sorry too, I must have the wrong number." And <em>then</em> she hung immediately.</p>
<p>Someone else here was calling her-the aunt. Wraith's gaze hardened. No one else had a name, no one except-</p>
<p>Wraith's hands balled into fists. Jumping to the conclusion it wa Revenant who kept calling the woman was a stretch, but it was the only one which made sense. <em>Doesn't care, hmm?</em> Wraith shook her head, and stalked out of her room. </p>
<p>It looked like now she had a reason to go see him. The hall she turned down wasn't unfamiliar, but she didn't use it often, so it took a moment to find the right door. She knocked briefly, and waited a moment.</p>
<p>The door opened a sliver, and a yellow optic peered out at her. "What do you want?" he growled.</p>
<p>Wraith jerked her chin up. "I finally come see you willingly and you're gonna turn me away?"</p>
<p>Revenant glared at her. "You're not coming in here."</p>
<p>The dark-haired woman gestured to the hall around her. "I came to speak to you about the phone calls you made to Ren-my au-" her words caught in her throat as faster than she realized, Revenant dragged her inside. <em>I knew that would work</em>.</p>
<p>"You'd better not be spreading it around that we're-" Revenant broke off, optics flaring, because he likely didn't know what to call it either. "That you share some blood and tissue with the skinsuit I used to have."</p>
<p>"You realize the alternative is that everyone thinks you're hitting on me." Wraith said flatly. Almost immediately, the simulacrum jerked away from her. <em>That's what I thought</em>, she thought, and crossed her arms. "Was getting on <em>my</em> nerves not enough?"</p>
<p>Revenant was silent, optics flared. They hadn't turned red around her in a while, but Wraith expected a return to form soon enough. Another thing she should have noticed earlier. And while he fumed, Wraith glanced around the room. </p>
<p>It was dingy, and not the kind of 'it hasn't been lived in', but actively run down and torn up. The place was a mess, as if nothing had been moved or cleaned, and the television on the stand was tipped over, the screen shattered and shards littering the floor. </p>
<p>"Surprised you haven't taken things from when you kill us." Wraith said.</p>
<p>That got a dark chuckle from the simulacrum. "Who needs souvenirs? Every scream is encoded, stored forever." he tapped his head. "I don't forget anything, even when they tried to make me I eventually found it-unlike you."</p>
<p>Wraith did not give him the satisfaction of getting a rise out of her. She very deliberately sat down on the couch, because while he tried to hide it, her presence in his room clearly pissed him off. <em>Everything does, it's nothing new</em>, she told herself. "You need a hobby."</p>
<p>"I already have one. The money was always a bonus, but I just enjoy the killing."</p>
<p>"Then-" Wraith stopped herself, and took a moment to contemplate her next question. If she just asked why he called Renee's aunt, he was going to ignore it. Better to keep trying with indirect ones. "Why take the money then if you didn't need it?"</p>
<p>Revenant scoffed. "It's not about need, it's how the world works. That's the one thing which never changes." he stalked around the room, but he never turned his back completely to her. Nor did she do the same, and kept her eyes trained on him. "I liked living large, so I always made sure to get a lot for a hit. No shortage of skinsuits who wanted someone gone."</p>
<p>Wraith's gaze scanned the squallor of Revenant't living quarters. Clearly that part of his attitde wasn't a concern anymore if he let his apartment go to shit. "Anyone?"</p>
<p>Revenant stopped abruptly. He slowly looked at her, gaze sharp and Wraith couldn't decipher what he was thinking. Did he assume she meant he'd kill her? The aunt? Or was she missing something again? "Get out."</p>
<p>Or maybe she'd just asked a too direct question.</p>
<p>Fine, but she wasn't leaving without one last dig. "If m...my aunt and I mean nothing to you, then why are you acting like this?" She closed the door behind her, and heard the hard thump of metal slamming against the wall.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>
  <em>I will try to be precise and to the point even if things are much more complicated than I can write down. My name is Wraith, but it used to be Renee Blasey. I'm your niece. I don't know whether you watch the Apex games or know of me, both who I am now or the person I was-I am not that woman anymore. I don't know her, or what your relationship with her was like. I can understand if it was strained and you don't wish to speak with me, or I am too different from what you remember.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I...I do want to speak with you though, but I don't think-if you choose to respond to this at all-that I'm ready for a phone call. I had not even known I had any family before now, and if you wish it, we can pretend this didn't happen and continue with our lives.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>-Wraith</em>
</p>
<p>There were no questions when she sent the letter, and no one asked about how she'd go about this if the aunt replied at all-for better or worse. Before, the idea of having a family of any kind was unimaginable. These people though, she'd let her defenses down just enough to want to call them that. Ajay was right; they accepted her for who she was now, not who she had been.</p>
<p>Now if Wraith only had the guts to admit her feelings to Natalie, but that seemed like a bigger step than the one she just took.</p>
<p>She did stop though, when standing beside her door was a tall red figure, arms crossed. His gaze snapped up, and he growled, "Finally." He shoved a rectangular case into her hands when she got closer, and Wraith realized it was her missing DVD. "Don't go thinking I owe you anything."</p>
<p>Funny, since he took it in the first place. Wraith thought of the broken television, and whether he destroyed it before or after watching it. "Did you like it?" He stopped. "The season." He didn't answer her, which told her everything. Wraith stared down at the cover. "You can use my television, if you want," she said, and added a touch awkwardly, "and we can watch it together."</p>
<p>"<em>Ha!</em>" Revenant's optics flared. "You said it yourself, you don't matter to me, so what makes you think I wouldn't gut you like a fish?"</p>
<p><em>You didn't all the other times we were alone</em>, Wraith thought. She didn't know whether all this time he'd been projecting his issues onto her, or he'd never known what to make of her. He may have claimed he'd known what the old her was like, but he'd never actually met her. She could speculate and make conjecture about his behavior, but she doubted she'd ever really know him either.</p>
<p>Revenant claimed he'd be adding names to his list every time new contestants came around, so Wraith wondered how surprised he'd been to find his own name on <em>her</em> list. The only thing Wraith was certain of being that neither of them likely ever thought the other existed. And how much it screwed everything up.</p>
<p>Wraith only thought she'd need to clear the slate with an aunt she didn't know, but maybe it was going to be a bit more complicated. "I'm not your daughter," for the first time in a while, Revenant's optics turned red as he glared at her, "I'm no one's daughter anymore. Whoever that person was is gone.</p>
<p>"Blood and tissue doesn't make us family," Wraith continued, "and neither of us is ever going to replace what we lost." The simulacrum didn't change from his tense position, hands balled into fists. "So we have two options; we can pretend this never happened, or we can try and make this work."</p>
<p>"Option three; I kill you permanently and this all goes away." Revenant growled.</p>
<p>Wraith very much did not doubt him, but she wouldn't let anything betray her resolve. Whether he took this chance was up to him. It wasn't her job to change him. "I don't know who you were," she said calmly, "and you don't know who I was, despite what you claim. What I <em>do</em> know is that this whole thing is messed up."</p>
<p>"And you think watching an anime will fix that?" Revanant asked derisively.</p>
<p>Wraith shrugged. "No, but if a boy and a fox can learn to get along..." she trailed off, and boldly outstretched her hand, fingers curled into a fist.</p>
<p>Revenant stared at her, then at her hand. His voice came out as flat as his expression. "I hate you."</p>
<p>Wraith didn't move, no matter how ridiculous she must look just standing there while holding out the metaphorical olive branch. </p>
<p>And, very slowly, a metal fist rose. It faltered just a moment, before it knocked against her knuckles. Wraith knocked back, returning the fist bump.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The void was cold and it left a chill over her skin every time she entered the dimensional rift. The iciness only seemed to exist in this half-state, as warmth would immediately flood back over her once she exited. She was risking the chill taking a longer effect over her, but finally gathered the nerve to see just how her other selves were holding up with the Revenant thing.</p>
<p>In some realities, she'd never been a legend, living a normal life with a normal job and never noticing the shadow which followed her every move. Wraith didn't know whether she envied the ignorance or was unsettled by it. Others times, Revenant wasn't related to her at all, and through some trial and error they actually became friends-or something like friends. She doubted he'd ever bothered to describe people as such.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most interesting versions were when Reveant <em>was</em> actually her father, and that one take led Wraith to seeing a nightmare version of Solace with a green-skinned replica of herself, and a goth vampire who looked a lot like Natalie living together, and dealing with the simulacrum who created a horde of shadow creatures to terrorize the place.</p>
<p>(This also nagged at Wraith about what Pathfinder went on about, when Revenant first showed up. Maybe Path was onto something after all.)</p>
<p>When she got back out of her portal, Wraith stared at the figure sitting on her couch. She didn't even sigh bealegured, and only let the rift close as she went to the fridge. So, Revenant had gone from breaking and entering and thieving, to breaking and entering and staying. He didn't glance up, optics glued to the television. </p>
<p>The knock drew her attention, and Wraith left her water bottle on the counter. She wished she brought it when on the outside, Natalie was smiling at her. "Hi." Was all Wraith could say, and she had the forethought to step outside so Revenant didn't hear anything. Or let Natalie see him.</p>
<p>Natalie's smile widened. "It's nice to see you. Elliott thought he might have taken your scarf by mistake. Since your room is so close to mine, he wanted me to ask if you're missing it."</p>
<p><em>'Damn you, Witt</em>,' Wraith thought. This had to be the dumbest yet of Elliott's attempts to get Wraith and Natalie to talk. She was going to get him back for this. "No, I have it. He was mistaken."</p>
<p>Natalie rubbed her chin. "I see. Have a nice day."</p>
<p>Wraith's cheeks flushed. "Y-you too!" she rushed out, and winced at how it must sound. Before Natalie could see Wraith make a bigger fool of herself, the dark-haired woman ducked back into her room. She ran a hand over her face, and made for her water bottle.</p>
<p>"You skinsuits and your <em>feelings</em>."</p>
<p>Wraith slowly glanced over at Revenant. Of course a door wasn't going to stop him from hearing anything. "You were a skinsuit too, with all the same squishy feelings." She sat next to him, and took a long sip to piss him off if her words didn't. "You had a daughter, unless she was spawned from the aether."</p>
<p>"She sprung from hate sex actually."</p>
<p>Wraith choked. She shot forward, coughing up the water in her throat. Over the sound of her hacking up a lung, Revenant chuckled darkly. He did that on purpose. Bastard. "Don't," Wraith wheezed, craning her neck to stare hard at him, "talk about that. It's...<em>weird</em>."</p>
<p>It didn't matter how far apart Revenant was up the family tree, his existence indirectly led to hers and she did <em>not</em> want to think about how that happened.</p>
<p>Revenant let out a derisive noise. "You can kill without flinching, but talking about sex turns you into chickenshit?"</p>
<p>Wraith glared at him. "I am not talking about anything regarding my relathionship with Natalie to anyone."</p>
<p>"The fact you don't have one, or that you do want it?" Revenant retorted. </p>
<p>Wraith was silent for a long moment, before glaring down at her water bottle. "I already have someone on my case, I don't need anyone more of this crap."</p>
<p>"If Witt's being even more of an annoying skinsuit, I could always, ya know, take him out for you."</p>
<p>Wraith furrowed her brow. "I am not putting a hit out on my friend." she shook her head. "And you'd do it just to hurt Pathfinder."</p>
<p>"Now that's not true," Revenant said gravely, before his optics glowed, "I don't need an excuse to hurt him."</p>
<p>"Pathfinder is also my friend." Wraith said tersely, and the simulacrum grunted. </p>
<p>Even before Revenant's outburst in the training room, he'd <em>never</em> seemed to like Pathfinder, as though the robot's cheerful attitude was a personal insult. It was like the simulacrum was allergic to happiness and joy itself.</p>
<p>"Well he's not my friend." Revenant muttered, then paused before adding, "And neither are you."</p>
<p>"Yet here you are." Wraith retorted.</p>
<p>"I'm only here because you have the TV." The simulacrum said, glancing towards the screen. Wraith did too. The episode was likely one of the filler arcs-she didn't watch those a whole lot unless she was short on time to watch the main story.</p>
<p>"You still haven't ordered a new one?" Revenant shot her a glare, which Wraith ignored this time. Stubborn, prideful jackass. "You get paid like the rest of us, don't you? What do you spend it on?"</p>
<p>Again, Revenant didn't answer her question. "It's not as though it's going to be permanent." And he glared at the wall, as if that was insulting to him like the impermanence of the deaths in the games.</p>
<p>"Then why would I even ask you to do a hit for me?" Wraith questioned. </p>
<p>A thought occured to her, and she didn't know whether it was horrifying or not; were they...bantering? Sure, Revenant had been less...suffocating while in the games-he even let their thirds revive her without trying to push them into the lava or off a cliff-ever since their talk outside her room a week ago.</p>
<p>"I didn't say I'd do it for <em>free</em>." Revenant retorted. "I want access to all these DVDs," he pointed to her shelf of Naruto videos, "no questions asked."</p>
<p>"Nice try, but you'd do that anyway." Wraith said. "I think it'd be worth more to pay you <em>not</em> to threaten my friends."</p>
<p>Revenant's optics glinted. "Only threaten?"</p>
<p>Wraith hesistated, but she wasn't going to kid herself. "This is a blood sport, everyone has a reason to be here-but the fact is we all kill each other for the entertainment of the Outlands. Not doing it isn't an option."</p>
<p>"At least you're seeing how things really are here, and not trying to delude yourself. Did losing your memories make you see more clearly?" Revenant glanced to the screen, but he likely didn't miss the glare Wraith shot him. "They think it'll sate my bloodlust, killing everyone out in the arena, so I won't be inclined to go after <em>them</em>." he made a sneering noise. "Which is what's going to make it so much more fun."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>Revenant went still, and this time he seemed to shoot her a glare. His fist clenched, before he stood abruptly. "I've had enough of this. Don't put glue on the vent next time."</p>
<p>"There's a door." Wraith muttered, but he only ignored her as he pushed the ceiling vent in and climbed back through it. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Ever since what happened with Forge in the Sorting Factory, no more live interviews were to be broadcasted from the arena. It didn't mean that the Syndicate wasn't going to quit with the media all together. The fact everyone was sent a list of questions for a Q &amp; A through a video chat spoke volumes about the precautions. </p>
<p>"I mean, I'll still look great through a camera, but how can anyone see my best side?" Elliott griped, arms crossed as he slumped back against the sofa in the communal living room. </p>
<p>He'd manage to lure Wraith out into going over their respective questions with promises of coffee-which she'd made him hand over first before sticking around. Wraith took a sip, since it gave her a moment longer to put off glancing at her own list. Elliott and Pathfinder were already going over theirs.</p>
<p>"Elliott, in what way is 'robotfucker' meant to be taken?"</p>
<p>Wraith choked. She turned away, hand over her mouth as she fought to control her reaction. Elliott's squawk filled the room, and he sputtered long enough for Wraith to force back the coughing. Pathfinder, she was at least certain, hadn't meant to cause this reaction. </p>
<p>"Why do they want to know <em>that</em>?" Elliott asked, his voice raising an octave. "No, never mind. Tell them you're not answering that!"</p>
<p>"It's about our relationship though, don't you want people to know how much we care about each other?" Pathfinder asked, a sad face on his screen. Elliott ran a hand over his own face. </p>
<p>Wraith sighed quietly. "Path, no one who asks that wants to know if you <em>care</em> about each other. It's meant to be literal."</p>
<p>A question mark replaced the sad face. "We don't-"</p>
<p>"Wraith doesn't need to know anything either!" Elliott said quickly. He shot her a look. "Lot of people pro-prob-wanting to be asking <em>you</em> that though."</p>
<p>Wraith grimaced. "Does everyone really assume Revenant and I are a thing?"</p>
<p>"Well, no." Elliott admitted after a moment. "Why else would he be so clingy though?" He'd better hope the simulacrum never heard him use that word to describe him. </p>
<p><em>Possessive</em> fit much better. For a beat, Wraith contemplated telling Elliott and Pathfinder about what she'd found out, that her and Revenant were...well, somewhat related. <em>It'd put to rest these rumors</em>, she thought, but ultimately let it go. How could she possibly explain this when she still didn't fully understand this herself?</p>
<p>"Maybe he wants to be your best friend!" Pathfinder supplied, smiley face once more on his screen. His hands clapped with an almost audible excitement. "Do you think he wants to be mine too?"</p>
<p>"I thought I was your best friend?" Elliott asked, his tone somewhat defensive. </p>
<p>Pathfinder straightened up, an exclamation point showing. "You are! You make me heart eyes."</p>
<p>Elliott's cheeks flushed, and he looked down while grumbling, "Don't go spreading that around."</p>
<p>Pathfinder nodded. "Okay, I will not talk about it." Though his counter to that was folding his hands to make his fingers form a heart. Elliott's blush deepened.</p>
<p>Wraith stared down into her coffee mug. More than an intruder, she wondered how it was that Elliott could go from thinly concealing his jealousy of Pathfinder to...to whatever this was. She'd never <em>heard</em> either of them say they were in a relationship, but it was incredibly hard not to see it when the evidence was right in front of her.</p>
<p><em>Maybe you should take the hint</em>, Wraith thought, because how obvious was she about her attraction to Natalie then? She didn't need to guess the answer; <em>very</em>. Her eyes roamed beyond her mug, to the list of questions she'd be answering. </p>
<p>'Robotfucker' was indeed one of them. Another was similar, but more politely worded it to 'what's your relationship with Revenant?' to 'how are you both getting along so well?' They weren't, for one, as Wraith could describe Revenant as many things, but 'sociable' or 'nice' were nowhere on that list.</p>
<p>Calling Revenant a brat was a one way ticket to being a cooling body in some dark crevice, but calling him a cat seemed like something he'd taken more offence too. Self-entitled, didn't respect boundaries, and possessive-it sounded a lot like cat behavior. Maybe Crypto was the person to ask, when he was very not obviously trying to hide the orange hairs that he'd pluck off his jacket. </p>
<p>There were things amongst the legends which were open secrets, but no one wheedled each other about. The thought was...oddly comforting, and Wraith appreciated that it was something everyone rallied around-what happened outside the matches was no one's business but their own.</p>
<p>Wraith crumpled the list of questions into a ball. "If you both want to go public about your relationship," she said calmly, drawing both the man and robot's gaze to her, "it's up to you, not because some reporter is asking."</p>
<p>Elliott glanced at the paper she tossed into the garbage can. "So you're not playing nice?"</p>
<p>Wraith shrugged. "If I feel like answering their questions, I might or I might not. Thanks for the coffee." she downed the rest of the liquid, and set off for the kitchen.</p>
<p>When she got back to her room, however, she was unsurprised to find Revenant once more on the couch watching another DVD. What did surprise her, was that he acknowledged her presence first, lifting one finger to her countertop.</p>
<p>"Some skinsuit came by, left a letter for you."</p>
<p>That would have been the postal worker. Wraith checked the envelope, noting that there wasn't any indication it'd been opened already. "Must have been a shock, seeing you instead of me."</p>
<p>Revenant grunted. "Didn't answer the door."</p>
<p>Wraith sat down on the couch as she tore the end of the envelope open. Inside was a single piece of paper, with neat typing which she began to read. </p>
<p>
  <em>Dear Renee, or, I'm sorry, Wraith. I think that's still going to take some getting used to. Anyway, my name is Mallory Blasey.</em>
</p>
<p>Wraith was sure her breath hitched, and she could not look away from that opening line. This was it, Renee's aunt's reply. Belatedly, she realized Revenant was no longer gazing at the video screen, but leaned in to glance over her shoulder. Fine, whatever. Wraith continued reading.</p>
<p>
  <em>I'd like to apologize in advance if I keep calling you Renee, it's...it's just been a shock to know you're alive. And from the deepest part of my heart, no matter what our differences might have been, I am truly happy for that.</em>
</p>
<p>Wraith closed her eyes, her chest tightening. She took in a deep breath, and kept going.</p>
<p>
  <em>I knew about the Apex Games-who doesn't in the Outlands? I'd never watched though, because I'd gotten about all the bloodshed I could handle from the war. So I haven't seen you in the arena, but I have watched an interview you did a while ago.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>From that you seemed, and I hope not to be too presumptous, calmer, thoughtful. You were always bright, but a bit impulsive and impatient. That's not to say I didn't love you, or that I'm wishing you were still that person-I don't think I'm explaining this very well, and you don't deserve to have all these years of worry and frustration let out in our first correspondence. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So, if I haven't scared you off, I'd like to keep writing to you. You can ask me whatever you want, and I'll try to answer to the best of my ability. I also know that I must still be a stranger to you, so I'll let you decide the pace of how this will go. It's only fair.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>-Mallory Blasey</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>P.S. And yes, Mallory and Malcomn, our parents kind of hated us</em>
</p>
<p>There was a lot to unpack in this letter, but Wraith knew it could have gone infinitely worse, and still might. But this was a chance to learn more about who she was, even if she didn't really want to be that woman again. Closure, she wanted closure though.</p>
<p>At that, Wraith glanced at Revenant. He was still staring at the letter, before he noticed her gaze and leaned away again. "Did you ever find out what happened to your daughter?"</p>
<p>He stiffened, before hunching in on himself and glared at her. "She's gone, what else is there to know?"</p>
<p>"Ren-my...parents are gone, but I'm still going to ask Mal...Mallory about them, because I want to know more." Wraith replied.</p>
<p>"They're dead." Revenant growled, his optics flaring.</p>
<p>"That doesn't mean I'm not allowed to know." Wraith said. "I want answers-closure."</p>
<p>"<em>Closure</em>." Revenant spat. "And what's that going to give you? A bunch of useless information about someone who isn't here anymore and you'll never see again." he got to his feet, and pacing pacing around like a pissed off cat. "Because she's <em>dead!</em> And you're still here, isn't that just some fucked up joke. Parents aren't supposed to outlive their kids!"</p>
<p>Wraith's brows rose abruptly, because it was obvious right now they were no longer having the same conversation. In the end, she didn't have to say anything, because Revenant gave her a hard stare, before he left the room without another word. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Wraith didn't see Revenant for three days, and he was likely pushing his luck with the Syndicate for having the bearings to intentionally miss the matches. It left a team with only a duo for it, but he likely didn't care. He also hadn't come around to bug her. <em>I must have hit another nerve.</em></p>
<p>She touched her hair, pulling the purple strands over her shoulder. She'd decided to try out wearing the new skin provided by Hammond Robotics. 'Perfect Soldier' it was called, which didn't exactly fit her. The colors suited her though, grays and purples and black. <em>Natalie's is really nice though</em>, she thought, and her cheeks flushed.</p>
<p>The grate above her creaked, and she turned to leaned against the counter as Revenant dropped down. "Well, look who decided to show up."</p>
<p>"I-" Revenant stopped, and his optics flared so intensely they turned red. "<em>What did they do to you?!"</em></p>
<p>Wraith's eyes widened. "What?"</p>
<p>The simulacrum's hands were curled into fists, his frame shaking. "Tell me who it was, I'll make them pay. I'll make <em>all</em> of Hammond pay like they should have!"</p>
<p>Oh.<em> Oh</em>. Wraith's eyes flicked to Revenant's balled fists, where the carved 'H' glinted. <em>Hammond</em>. Something cold slithered down her back, and what he must see came into sharp focus. <em>He thinks they turned me into a</em>- Wraith released the bracelet around her wrist, and the hologram fell away, revealing her true self once more. </p>
<p>"It's okay," she said, voice a bit stilted, because she wasn't sure what <em>this</em> reaction he was having even was, "I'm still just a skinsuit."</p>
<p>Revenant tensed for a moment, before his shoulders eased and he looked away roughly. "Good." he said gruffly. "You wouldn't have cut it as anything else."</p>
<p>Wraith rolled her eyes. He could really just pretend that he wasn't MIA for the past three days? Or that he wasn't just...worried...about...her... <em>Jerk's still pretending he doesn't care</em>, she thought. "Did you come to just insult me?"</p>
<p>"I'm here for the DVDs, the insults are just a bonus." he replied. </p>
<p>Wraith snorted, and she left her bracelet on the counter before going to the couch. She grabbed the book she borrowed from Bloodhound off the coffee table, flipping to the page she dog-eared. "You know it's probably a bad idea with pissing off the Syndicate. I doubt they're going to let you get away with knee-capping everyone."</p>
<p>Revenant grunted, to which she understood as his 'I don't care' response. "The fact I haven't killed them yet should tell them why it's a bad idea to piss <em>me</em> off."</p>
<p>Wraith glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Would she ever be able to reconcile the murderous simulacrum as the same one who watched anime with her? She returned half her attention to the book, but spoke loud enough for him to hear, "Is this all you do in your spare time?"</p>
<p>"You're one to talk." he retorted. He paused, before bluntly asked, "Can you actually see other realities or is that just to make yourself seem mysterious?"</p>
<p>Wraith stiffened, and looked at him sharply. He wasn't looking at her, but she didn't need to guess why he was asking. "I can only see what I could've or might've been, it's not a crystal ball I see the future with."</p>
<p>"You can see what you are though." It wasn't a question. </p>
<p>Revenant was also not just going to <em>ask</em>, so Wraith was going to be as blunt as possible with this. "I see times and places where I am a legend, others where I'm not. Every decision or choice leads to another outcome. In some, I'm just a woman called Renee who isn't involved with the IMC or the Apex games and works a routine 9-5 job and never met anyone here."</p>
<p>Wraith took a breath, because she finally had his full attention. "Do you really want to know what realities exist where you're in my life?"</p>
<p>Revenant let out a scoff, but it seemed more instinctive from how abrupt it was. "You think that would change anything <em>here</em>? Don't be naive."</p>
<p>Wraith wasn't surprised by his answer, so her attention went back to the book. A fight scene was about to break out, and she wondered how accurate it might be. </p>
<p>"<em>Well?</em>" Revenant grunted, and Wraith glanced at him. His optics glowed, and he growled out, "What did you see?"</p>
<p>Would he just finally make up his mind about whether he wanted to keep being a jackass towards her or not? What was all this flip-flopping? "Sometimes you're a simulacrum," she decided to get that out of the way, "but from the proximity of an unknown man and the fact he doesn't look like any of my friends, I can only presume it's your human form as you refused to tell me what your name was." </p>
<p>Revenant's hand clenched. "The skinsuit, describe it."</p>
<p>Wraith gave him an assessing glance, before she nodded curtly. "Wore some pretty fancy clothes. White, sharp features, clean-shaven. Dark blonde hair, combed to the side and the back of his head shaved." Her grocery list faltered, because the certainty of her knowledge the human she saw was <em>him</em> being the - "Blue eyes. <em>Very</em> blue, the...the kind I see in the mirror."</p>
<p>There was only silence. Wraith didn't know how to describe it. Tense, definitely, but not awkward. Stony, but Revenant wasn't about to start trashing her room. Wraith would throw him out if he made a move to do it.</p>
<p>In fact, he wasn't moving at all. Anticipation, because Wraith understood he was going to do <em>something</em>. It was just the <em>what</em> which eluded her.</p>
<p>Whatever internal freak out Revenant was having, Wraith was getting hungry. She'd just have to keep an eye on him. The woman set the book aside, but her attempt to move were prevented by the hand which abruptly grabbed hers. Wraith's other hand twitched, fingers brushing against her kunai before she eased her shoulders.</p>
<p>Revenant held her hand, before his optics flickered to it. He made a noise, sounding disgusted with himself as he let go. In fact, he tensed even further as he crossed his arms. Wraith teetered just at the edge, leave or stay. </p>
<p><em>He's not going to ask you to stay</em>, she thought, but his reaction still said a lot, so she settled back onto the couch. "Friends...talk to each other."</p>
<p>Revenant let out a bitter chuckle. "So we're friends now?"</p>
<p>"Saying 'people talk' gives off the wrong impression." Wraith retorted. It was not much of a surprise he scoffed, so she switched tracks. "You've pushed your luck with missing matches, are you going to piss the Syndicate off even more by not doing the interviews too?"</p>
<p>"What are they gonna do, kill me?" Revenant shot back. "I've seen the questions, nothing but skinsuits who either hate me, wanna fuck me or both." he shrugged. "Old news, really."</p>
<p>"So I was right," Wraith jerked her chin up, "you always were a dick."</p>
<p>"And you will always be a skinsuit." Revenant said flatly, before his optics flickered to her, a strained edge in his voice when he added, "<em>Right?</em>"</p>
<p>As the simulacrum still refused to just <em>say</em> what he was thinking, Wraith once more needed to guess what he meant. <em>He flipped out when he thought Hammond turned me into a robot, so is this him saying he hopes I stay human</em>? </p>
<p>"Yes," Wraith said dryly, "that's all I'll ever be; a skinsuit."</p>
<p>Revenant nodded sharply. "Good."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was going to happen eventually. Wraith watched the boards carefully for the new match. Hers was the first picture to appear, then Mirage and finally Pathfinder. She scanned the others for Revenant's. He was paired with Lifeline and Bangalore. Wraith met his optics, and the yellow flared bright. </p>
<p>Perhaps the Syndicate thought it was time to try punishing Revenant by taking away his favorite murder buddy. Since it was likely they were also responsible for putting them on the same team all the time, it was probably a flex to show who was in charge.</p>
<p>Wraith's mind went back to the talk she had with Revenant during the duos event. Anyone who hoped this attempt at making this stick were going to be sorely disappointed. Revanant had something to prove, and so did she. "Don't blink," she said, her eyes never leaving his, "you might miss me."</p>
<p>Revenant let out a sneer. "You already know, I'm going to kill you today."</p>
<p>"Way to draw the scary murder robot's attention, Wraith." Mirage muttered. </p>
<p>Pathfinder waved at Revenant. "I'll high-five you all when I see you."  he said cheerfully, but Revenant turned away with a dismissive grunt. Pathfinder slumped with a sad face.</p>
<p>"Mirage will high-five you." Wraith said. The man shot her a look, but the fact the suggestion caused the robot's mood to abruptly shift back to upbeat had him following through when Pathfinder raised his hand. </p>
<p>Everyone made for the platforms when the voiceover let them know the area was near, and Wraith glanced back to find the simulacrum was still staring at her. Wraith brought up her right hand, with the index and middle finger stuck up into the while curling the rest of her fingers into her palm, thumb held over the final two. Revenant's optics flared, but when his fingers twisted almost into a matching seal, he stopped. Bangalore and Lifeline were shooting him looks, so the simulacrum ran his finger across his neck instead.</p>
<p>"So, you two break up or something?" Mirage asked.</p>
<p>Wraith decided not to dignify that with an answer, and instead to chose to make him act serious right now. "When we get down there, you'd both better find a weapon fast." she said quietly, and Mirage furrowed his brow.</p>
<p>"Uh, yeah, kinda the point." </p>
<p>Wraith's lips pressed into a thin line. "Except this time there will definitely be a team dropping with us." She jerked her head over to Revenant. "So unless you don't want to be first blood, you'd better keep your eyes out." She couldn't speak if he'd be dropping <em>with</em> his team, but Revenant was sure as hell gunning for her no matter what.</p>
<p>An exclamation point flashed across Pathfinder's screen, but Mirage was the one who spoke, "Seriously, what happened?" he asked baffled. </p>
<p>Wraith rolled her eyes. She'd warned them, that was enough. And when the three of them made the jump for Overlook, there wasn't much surprise in the single trail following after. Perhaps not surprising, it didn't take long for Bangalore and Lifeline to jump. Unlike Revenant, they were actually good teammates to have around.</p>
<p><em>And they're both probably chewing him out about how much of a bad one he is,</em> Wraith thought, and wondered if that split second Revenant chose to bother listening was going to make a difference in finding a weapon first. </p>
<p>Pathfinder went for the beacon on the dome first, and Mirage landed on the stairs leading underneath. Wraith went for the building nearby, and almost immediately heard the footsteps which landed on the roof. She ducked through the door and slammed it in Revenant's face as his fist punched it.</p>
<p>"I am down!" Pathfinder called. </p>
<p>Already? Then she heard Mirage calling he'd knocked someone, only to immediately curse. "I'm down too, Bangalore and I traded. Don't screw it up, Wraith."</p>
<p>Rolling her eyes, Wraith scanned the room for a weapon or a shield. There was nothing and she turned as the door was kicked open.</p>
<p>"<em>Duck!</em>" The voices called, and Wraith slid under the strike Revenant took at where her head was. </p>
<p>The kunai came out and Wraith slashed one of the simulacrum's legs out from under him. While he stumbled to right himself, she jumped over the rail to the bottom floor. It just wasn't her day, there was nothing but attachments on the floor. Where were all the weapons?</p>
<p>"<em>Above you!"</em> Wraith closed her fist and the phase started up-only for it to be cut off by the wash of red energy that bathed over her. Her jaw clenched as Revenant jumped down, and he likely would have smirked if he could.</p>
<p>"You weren't thinking of running away were you?"</p>
<p>Wraith narrowed her gaze, flipping the kunai in her grasp upright. "There was never going to be any running, but I was hoping for a weapon."</p>
<p>Revenant tilted his head, and his hand formed into a spike. "You've already got one." </p>
<p>
  <em>"Move!"</em>
</p>
<p>Wraith ducked to avoid the stab, sliding under his swing to turn and sweep his legs out. He jumped and twisted around, his other hand latching onto her foot and he slammed her into the wall. She grimaced, but her attempt to phase was halted by him shooting her with his Silence for good measure.</p>
<p>"You weren't about to turn and run like a coward, were you?"</p>
<p>Wraith slowly wriggled her fingers as if she wasn't about to do just that. "Of course not." She blocked his strike, and he caught her fist going for his face. He tried to bear his weight down on her from his height-Wraith gritted her teeth, before she narrowed her eyes. She jumped up pushed all her own weight into knocking him back.</p>
<p>Revenant grunted as he fell, and Wraith slammed her kunai into his chest. His optics bore into her eyes, then his gaze flickered down. It took Wraith a moment for the pain to settle in, and she inhaled sharply as his spiked hand had stabbed her through the stomach.</p>
<p>"Ties," his optics began to flicker on and off, voice filling with static, "don't...count."</p>
<p>Wraith snorted, and immediately regretted it. She breathed out slowly, and felt the darkness begin to cloud her mind. "Of course...you'd focus on...that." </p>
<p>And when she fell to the floor, their teams were eliminated at the same time.</p>
<p>------</p>
<p>After waking up in the Medbay, Wraith slipped away almost immediately. She wasn't a fan of staying in there too long, it always brought back the bad memories she did have. She shifted her scarf as she leaned against the railing of the roof she was on, gazing out into the setting sun. This place might be cold and drafty, but the view was spectacular and calming.</p>
<p>"I thought I warned you about staying out in this weather."</p>
<p>Wraith tensed for a moment. Well, it seemed the voices no longer found Revenant a threat. She was surprised to get a warning at during the match at all. Wraith didn't glance away from the sunset as he came to stand next to her. "You did, but it's not like I'm going to be out here for long."</p>
<p>Revenant grunted as he crossed his arms. "Fine. It's your skinsuit on the line."</p>
<p>Wraith rolled her eyes. "Or did you come to settle who won that fight?"</p>
<p>"We both know I would have." Revenant retorted, and a long pause lingered before he grudgingly added, "Though you showed me how much I'd have to work for it."</p>
<p>"Good to know." Wraith said dryly. She furrowed her brow when Revenant held out his hand to her, and her eyes widened as his hand formed the seal she'd given earlier. She glanced up at him, frowning slightly. "You remembered?"</p>
<p>He let out a gruff noise and glanced away. "Don't keep me waiting, skinsuit."</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Wraith reached out and wrapped her index and middle fingers around his, the seals perfectly matching. "Does this make us friends now?" she asked with a touch of snark.</p>
<p>Revenant laughed, short and harsh as he pulled his hand free. "Don't read too much into this." </p>
<p>"Wouldn't dream of it." Wraith retorted. She straightened up, and leaned her hands on the rail. "Although," she paused, thinking hard for a moment about how to approach the subject, "what do you say about settling a different matter?"</p>
<p>"What other-<em>no!</em>" Revenant's optics flashed brightly and his claws balled into fists. "You're not telling <em>anyone</em> about-" he stalled, as if searching for the right words-"about whatever the hell our connection is."</p>
<p>This was the reaction Wraith had more of less expected, and it was almost amusing in a twisted way he got angry with everyone knowing they were related, than how calm he'd been when they fought. "I figured. Probably wouldn't want everyone thinking you're getting soft."</p>
<p>Revenant's optics hardened as he pointed at her. "If you were anyone else, I'd have thrown you over just for thinking that."</p>
<p>Wraith jerked her chin up, meeting his gaze steadily. "And I'd have pulled you right over with me."</p>
<p>Revenant grunted, and without another word, he stalked towards the door. Wraith was left alone once more on the roof, and she gaze back out at the skyline, watching as the last rays of light disappeared.</p>
<p>Fitting, she supposed. Tonight was done and over with, and unless the Syndicate decided to flex, it was likely they were going to be together on the same team from now on. Wraith rolled her eyes. How wonderful.</p>
<p>That uncertainty was for tomorrow though. Whether in the long run Revenant would come around to idea of telling everyone the truth, or whether they just let it remain as it, Wraith supposed those answers would come in time. And right now, that was enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Before anyone says anything about the lore given for Revenant, I know how old he is, but that's <em>all</em> we know. And this story is told from Wraith's perspective-so these are what she feels and <em>thinks</em> she knows. Keep in mind this is still canon-compliant with what we all <em>do</em> know from the lore.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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